Vocabulary Chapter 27
Read each definition, rewrite each definition IN YOUR OWN WORDS, and then draw a
picture to illustrate the word.
Asteroid : A solid, rocklike mass that revolves around the sun; most asteroids are found
between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter (asteroid belt).
Comet: A mass of rock, ice, dust, and gas traveling around the sun, usually in a highly
eccentric orbit.
Inner Planets: The four planets nearest the sun – Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Marsseparated from the outer planets by the asteroid belt.
Meteor: The light made by a meteoroid as it passes through Earth’s atmosphere.
Meteoroid: A rocky or icy fragment that travels through space.
Meteorite: The part of a large meteoroid that survives its trip through Earth’s
atmosphere and strikes Earth’s surface.
Meteor Shower: A large number of meteors entering and burning up in the
Atmosphere; meteor showers take place when Earth passes through a debris field.
Outer Planets: The four planets farthest from the sun – Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and
Neptune – separated from the inner planets by the asteroid belt.